


pleasure to me is wonder

by freloux



Category: Edgar Allan Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party (Web Series)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Literary References & Allusions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22120366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freloux/pseuds/freloux
Summary: Trust Edgar to befriend someone even more emo than he is.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	pleasure to me is wonder

**Author's Note:**

> I've had an interest in H.P. Lovecraft recently, so naturally I wondered what it would be like if Lenore met him. The title is part of his quote that says, “Pleasure to me is wonder—the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden and the changeless thing that lurks behind superficial mutability.”

Lenore is swanning about when she overhears some chatter in Edgar’s study. It’s not a voice she recognizes so she floats along and hovers just outside the door so she can observe.

“Khul-hu.”

“Cathoolu?”

Laughter. “I wrote it, Edgar. I think I should know how it’s pronounced.”

Edgar is talking to a tall, skinny man who’s arranged himself very neatly in one of the armchairs. He has a long face, both literally and figuratively: aside from that brief burst of laughter, he doesn’t seem the type naturally predisposed to humor or smiling. Trust Edgar to befriend someone even more emo than he is.

Lenore isn’t sure what they’re talking about. It’s all a bunch of weird names. Even H.G.’s stuff is never this bizarre. She tilts a little farther in towards the doorway in an attempt to hear more, just in case it helps her understand it, but all that ends up doing is knock over a pile of books. The two men startle and Edgar turns around to see what happened.

“Hi, sorry, don’t mind me --” Lenore mumbles as she straightens the books. “I was just leaving --”

“Who’s this?” Edgar’s mystery guest asks.

“Howard, this is Lenore, Lenore, this is Howard,” Edgar explains by way of introduction. “We were just discussing his latest work, _The Call of Cthulu_.”

Howard stands as well and extends a hand for Lenore to shake. Lenore concentrates for a brief moment just to make sure he has something to hold before returning to her usual ghostiness. She tries not to scare guests. Although something tells her that Howard wouldn’t be very surprised or frightened upon discovering that. He has an air of the macabre.

“Usually I go by my initials but Edgar and I are old friends,” Howard explains. “Despite the fact that you still haven’t made it down to Rhode Island yet…”

Edgar looks briefly embarrassed.

“But tell me, Lenore, how do you know Edgar?” Howard returns to sitting and surveys her with keen interest.

“We live together,” Lenore says. She floats awkwardly for a moment, hoping he doesn’t notice that she’s a good few inches off the ground, and finally decides to alight on the wood flooring as quietly as possible. “I’ve kind of been haun -- his roommate for awhile now.”  
“Together?” Howard asks, his gaze flicking back and forth between them.

“No, no, not like that,” Edgar is quick to clarify with a look of extreme horror.

Howard chuckles. It’s a sound that’s rusty as if from disuse. “All right. Come sit, Lenore, and tell me more about yourself.” He seems to sense that Lenore isn’t telling him everything.

Lenore shifts uncomfortably. “What do you want to know?”

“I’m just curious about why Edgar has a ghost in his house. He never told me about that,” Howard says, almost chiding.

“Ghosts can be anywhere,” Lenore says. “There’s no ‘why’ to it."

“This is true,” Howard acknowledges. “Isn’t that part of the interesting thing about life? All the things we do not -- and, indeed, cannot -- know.” He pauses. “One of the things that first comes to mind is why I wasn’t invited to your little shindig. I think it may have gotten lost in the mail, hmm?”

This surprises Lenore. Howard definitely doesn’t seem the type to want to go to parties. Then again, he probably fits in better with the weird literary people Edgar collects like lint under a bed. 

“I’ve always admired you, Edgar,” Howard says in a longsuffering tone. He leans back in the armchair, turns stoic and introspective. “I can only imagine the sorts of conversations that took place…”

 _Oooooh_ , Lenore thinks. _He’s going for passive-aggressive_. She and Howard are definitely going to get along.

Edgar fidgets. “More tea, Howard?”

“No,” Howard replies, his voice lofty as though he’s moved on and just can’t be bothered with material things like tea.

Lenore claps her hands. She should so figure out the microwave in the kitchen because if Howard visits again she’s gonna want to break out the popcorn. “Actually, Howard, it was much more exciting than that!”

Edgar stares daggers at her. Whatever, Lenore is already a ghost, he can’t do anything to her.

“Oh?”

“There was murder!” Lenore says. “It was totes exciting.”

“Hmm,” Howard says. “That does sound...totes interesting. What happened?”

Lenore describes the intrigue of it all, the sheer drama, sparing absolutely no detail -- and, okay, embellishing here and there if only because she loves embarrassing Edgar. Even if he and Howard are BFFs. _Especially_ if he and Howard are BFFs.

“And then --” Lenore pauses.

Howard actually leans forward expectantly.

“I fell in love,” Lenore says. She brings a hand to her brow as if about to faint. “It was amazing.”

“My goodness,” Howard says. “You really should invite me next time.” He’s focusing on Lenore now instead of Edgar like she’s the one who threw the party instead. What can Lenore say? She’s always been one for the spotlight.

And it looks like she just made a new friend, too.


End file.
